The chess world on Sunday was stirred by controversy when Japan-born American GM Hikaru Nakamura defeated world champion Gukesh Dommaraju, securing a 5-0 victory for Team USA over Team India at the Checkmate: USA vs India event. After making his winning move, Hikaru stood up, grabbed Gukesh’s king, tossed it into the cheering crowd, and waved his arms in celebration.

The act sparked mixed reactions on social media, with many calling his celebration disrespectful. A video of Nakamura’s gesture quickly went viral.

FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky criticised Nakamura for his behaviour. “The event was a show. Fans were ecstatic. Players were encouraged to behave accordingly. All true. Now, for better or worse, name me one top player who would do what Hikaru did”, he said in a post on X.

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